Last updated: 8/15/23

Adult Literacy Initiative

A consortium of adult literacy programs throughout the City of Boston.

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The Boston Adult Literacy Initiative (ALI) is a collection of adult literacy programs. Programs provide adult learners with a wide range of services, including:

basic literacy skills classes
high school equivalency exam preparation
distance learning
job skills training
college preparation, and
English language classes for non-native speakers.

Find a Program in Your Neighborhood

Find a Program

Allston-Brighton

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
Gardner Pilot Academy Adult Education Program	30 Athol Street, Allston, MA 02134	Michelle Duval 617-635-8365 m.duval@live.com	Focus: ESOL Level: Basic, Beginner, Advanced Hours per week: 5 Schedule: evening
Jackson Mann Community School	500 Cambridge Street, Allston, MA 02134	Dwight Jarrat 617-635-5153 dwight.jarrat@jacksonmanncc.org	Focus: ABE Level: Grades 0-12 Hours per week: 6 Schedule: Evening
The Literacy Connection	637 Cambridge Street, Brighton, MA 02135	Jill Uchiyama 617-746-2100 jill.uchiyama@cjsboston.org	Focus: ESOL Level: All levels Hours per week: 2 Schedule: Evening

ESOL = English for speakers of other languages

ABE = Adult Basic Education

Charlestown

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
BHA Charlestown Adult Education	76 Monument Street, Charlestown, MA 02129	Lori D'Alleva 617-635-5221 cccae@comcast.net	Focus: ABE Level: Grades 4-12 Hours per week: 5.25 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon

ABE = Adult Basic Education

Chinatown

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
Asian American Civic Association	87 Tyler Street, Boston, MA 02111	Shinobu Ando 617-426-9492 x222 Shinobuando@aaca-boston.org	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 3 - 6 Hours per week: 8-9 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center	38 Ash Street, Boston, MA 02111	Shirley Doan 617-635-5129 shirley.doan@bcnc.net	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 0-7 Hours per week: 9 Schedule: Morning/Evening

ESOL = English for speakers of other languages

Dorchester

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
BCYF Perkins Adult Learning Program	155 Talbot Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02124	Papa Diop 617-635-1894 papa.diop@boston.gov	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 2-5 Hours per week: 9 Schedule: Evening
Haitian Multi-Service Center	185 Columbia Road, Dorchester, MA 02121	Phillip Howard 617-508-6600 phillip_howard@ccab.org	Focus: ABE Level: Grades 0-12 Hours per week: 6-16 Schedule: Morning/Evening
Mujeres Unidas Avanzando	54 Clayton Street, Dorchester, MA 02122	Johannah Malone 617-282-3500 johannahmalone@gmail.com	Focus: ABE Level: Grades 0-12 Hours per week: 8-10 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon
St. Mark Community Education Program	25 Beach Street, Dorchester, MA 02122	Mike Oliver 617-288-8515 stmarkesol@gmail.com	Focus: ESOL, Citizenship Level: Basic level, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 Hours per week: 5 Schedule: Evening/Weekend

ESOL = English for speakers of other languages

ABE = Adult Basic Education

Downtown

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
Irish International Immigrant Center	1 State Street, Suite 800, Boston, MA 02129	Erin Chubb 617-542-7654 echubb@iiicenter.org	Focus: ESOL Level: N/A Hours per week: N/A Schedule: Morning/Evening
International Institute of New England	2 Boylston Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02116	Alexandra Weber 617-695-9990 aweber@iine.org	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 0-6 Hours per week: 9 Schedule: Evening
Jewish Vocational Service	75 Federal Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02110	Martin O'Brien 617-399-3131 MO'Brien@jvs-boston.org	Focus: ABE Level: Grades 4-12 Hours per week: 9 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon
YMCA International Learning Center	100 Franklin Street, Lower Level, Boston, MA 02110	Sarah Poole 617-927-8244 international@ymcaboston.org	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 0-6 Hours per week: 9 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon/Evening

ESOL: English for speakers of other languages

ABE: Adult Basic Education

East Boston

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
East Boston Harborside Community Center	312 Border Street, Boston, MA 02128	Carol A. Baglio 617-635-5114 cbaglio@ebhcs.org	Focus: ABE Level: Grades 1-3 Hours per week: 6.75 Schedule: Evening

ABE = Adult Basic Learning

Hyde Park

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
Jewish Vocational Service	35 Harvard Ave, Hyde Park, MA 02136	Riva Pearson 617-699-9116 rpearson@jvs-boston.org	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 1-3 Hours per week: 9 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon

ESOL = English for speakers of other languages

Jamaica Plain

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
El Centro de Cardenal Cushing Center	19 St. Joseph Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130	Lydia Spataru 617-552-4040 lydia_spataru@ccab.org	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 0-7 Hours per week: 20 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon
Jamaica Plain Community Center (English High School)	144 McBride Street, Room 117, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130	Joyce Henderson 617-635-5201 jehenderson.jpcc@gmail.com	Focus: ABE Level: Grade 4-12 Hours per week: 9-12 Schedule: Evening
X-Cel Education	7 Glenvale Terrace, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130	Don Sands 617-522-2590 dsands@xceleducation.org	Focus: ABE Level: Grade 4-12 Hours per week: N/A Schedule: Morning/Evening

ESOL = English for speakers of other languages

ABE = Adult Basic Education

Mattapan

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
Action For Boston Community Development	535 River Street, Mattapan, MA 02126	Cheyenne Deveney 617-298-2045 Cheyenne.deveney@bostonabcd.org	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 0-7 Hours per week: 10.5-12 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon

ESOL = English for speakers of other languages

Mission Hill

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway	714 Parker Street, Boston, MA 02120	Alyssa Bacon 617-445-6000 Alyssa.bacon@bostonabcd.org	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 1-3 Hours per week: 6 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon

ESOL = English for speakers of other languages

Roslindale

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
Action For Boston Community Development	19 Corinth Street, Roslindale, MA 02131	Lisa Garrone 617-327-1152 x204 Lisa.garrone@bostonabcd.org	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 0-7 Hours per week: 6 Schedule: Morning/Evening

ESOL: English for speakers of other languages

Roxbury

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
Boston Public School	55 Malcom X Blvd, Roxbury, MA 02120	Kristen D'Avolio 617-635-9300 kdavolio@bostonpublicschools.org	Focus: ABE Level: Grades 8-12 Hours per week: 9-10.5 Schedule: Morning
Project Hope	550 Dudley Street, Roxbury, MA 02119	Patricia Goulbourne 617-442-1880 x253 pgoulbourne@prohope.org	Focus: ABE Level: Grades 4-12 Hours per week: 12 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon

ABE = Adult Basic Education

South Boston

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
Laboure Center Adult Education	275 West Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127	Veronica Robson 617-464-8551 Veronica_robson@ccab.org	Focus: ESOL Level: N/A Hours per week: N/A Schedule: Monday/Evening
NDEC, Julie's Family Literacy	133 Dorchester Street, South Boston, MA 02127	Anna Fernandez-Buehrens 617-269-6663 X34 afernandez-buehrens@juliesfamily.org	Focus: ABE Level: Grades 1-3 Hours per week: 14 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon/Evening

ESOL = English for speakers of others languages

ABE = Adult Basic Education

South End

Name	Address	Contact	Class Information
Educational Development Group	434 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02118	Frances Laroche 617-357-5717 frances@edginc.org	Focus: ESOL Level: Student Performance Level 0-3 Hours per week: 25 Schedule: Morning/Afternoon